The clouds raced over my head as the unfettered winds struck my face to wake me from

another cold night and bring me to terms with the August sun now slowly cooking my flesh. I had
only just begun another day in the pen but I was sure the weather wouldnt be getting anymore
forgiving. The smell on the other hand would definitely get worse. After rising from my sleep it
was apparent that my legs and belly were now caked with filth and my brown and white hair was
matted all over. Unfortunately, there wasnt much I could do myself to remedy the situation. It
was uncomfortable, but at least I looked better than most.
I could already hear the preparation for the daily service starting by the Tree Stump, so I
maneuvered my way through the others that were also just rising and headed to the gathering.
The crowd was already quite large so I simply forced myself between Wilson and Cole,
accidentally poking Wilson in the eye with my tag. He blinked a few times.
Sorry, Wilson. I said, Im not used to having it on this ear. The old one got ripped out.
Its totally fine, bro, getting those put in hurts way more than a little poke to the eye. he
replied.
Conversation ceased after that short formality and Wilson reverted his attention to The
Beyond. We were all a pretty close group but we currently said nothing to each other as we
eagerly waited for Joseph to appear on The Stump. We just let our tails sway as our fly covered
brown eyes stared out beyond the fences.
We all hoped to go beyond the fences someday, but The Beyond wasnt our purpose
right now. Joseph says that day will come, but only to those who truly understand its
significance. Right now were simply supposed to endure for Yarrock, the one who has blessed
us all with our life together. Joseph truly is the only positive thing about being here, he was the
first to tell us all about Yarrock, and the first to teach me how selfish my desires were.
The Stump was a quiet reminder of those desires. The Stump was once a huge oak
located in The Beyond that would shade and shelter some of us behind it. This oak was the only
shelter of its kind, but Joseph told us that Yarrock took it away when some of us began to doubt

him. Our congregation grew to three times its size after the tree was taken down and the pen
was expanded around it. We now gather at The Stump each morning to repent and pay our
respects.
We all stood there waiting for about ten minutes before Joseph made his way through
the herd and took his place at the middle. Joseph was the smallest one of us in the pen, but
wed each protect him with our life. He was almost solid black except for a few white spots on
his front legs. There was also a scar on the front of his nose, but we never asked about it. He
just casually strolled around The Stump in the middle of the circle bobbing his head up and
down while he compacted the plantless earth beneath his hooves. Eventually he planted his
front legs on The Stump and thats when we all laid down on top of our own waste.
Good morning, he said, while scanning the audience. Harsh gusts of wind were kicking
stray dirt into our eyes, but Joseph continued, Yarrock is kind enough to provide us with all the
nourishment we need and yet you all fight over the grass growing beneath the fence? You
should all be ashamed of declining Jovi's gift of corn. Has anyone ever seen a bull on the other
side of that fence eating grass? No, because its unnatural and we will eat the corn as Jovi
intends. Jovi loves us and only wants whats best. At this remark I fell still as stone. My
breathing felt forced and everything was uncomfortable. My mouth didnt close right and my
tongue felt like it was resting in the wrong place. I felt guilty and wasnt sure how to feel normal.
I now saw that Joseph had placed all four of his black and white speckled legs on The
Stump and his voice had begun to overpower even those few who were not part of our morning
gathering. From his elevated position, Joseph looked down upon us and said one last thing,
Jovi put those tags on your ears to monitor and identify you in this pen! If you want your day to
come when you can finally leave the pen and go beyond the fence, you had all better step in
line. With that he stepped down from The Stump and headed off towards the feeding trough.
After a moment of reflection and blank expressions we each eventually stood up and slowly
wandered away from The Stump.

For the rest of the day I stayed far, far, away from Joseph. I couldnt deal with the
shame, so I headed to the least popular section of the pen where all two hundred or so of us
would come to drink. The ground here was horribly muddy from spillage and most of us chose
to spend as little time on it as possible. Despite the mud however, which my hooves did not
appreciate, having more than two inches of personal space in each direction was a highly
desirable benefit for the moment. With nothing else to do, I stood here as alone as possible and
gazed out to The Beyond until it was too dark to distinguish anything. I then kneeled into the
mud and fell asleep.
I started to hear things, there was a great commotion behind me. My eyelids didnt want
to open up today. They were sealed shut with mud and my eyeballs stung greatly when they
finally opened up to the sun. When I stood up the lower half of my body was coated in a cloak of
drab, crunchy grey, and my hair could not be seen beneath it. Walking was difficult with my
exoskeleton of filth and my tail had even been plastered to my hind leg. I remedied this by
rubbing up against the fence a few times. As the hardened mud was knocked from my hind legs
my tail was freed and my movement opened up a bit. While I was busy cleaning myself Cole
and Wilson both approached me.
Have you heard yet? said Craig as he inched closer while swinging his tail.
Heard what? I replied, still trying to shake the filth from my hair.
Cole jumped in instantly, Joseph and Thomas were taken from the pen early this
morning!
Hes free! Yarrock set Joseph free! Thomas was brought back because he never
believed, but Joseph is free! Hes free! interjected Wilson, We need to go be like Joseph.
I nodded my long head vigorously and followed them to the trough almost at a gallop.
The feeding troughs were packed, but as we approached it I quickly squeezed my
massive body between two smaller white haired bulls. I immediately dug in, taking no notice of
anyone surrounding me. The corn filled my stomach as I dreamed of the life in The Beyond that

could be provided by Yarrock. Just wanting to discuss the news, I nudged the neck of small bull
on my left, about Josephs size, with the tip of my nose. The blockly white head quickly spun
towards me as corn fell from his pink mouth to the ground below.
Do you think well all get to leave this horrible place one day? I asked.
The bull just sagged his ears, bowed his head and returned to the corn as if I werent there. I
stood there confused and batted away a few flies with some quick blinks. Not knowing how to
respond I just dipped my head as well and continued to eat. Finally the small white bull who was
now just staring absentmindedly at his meal replied to me between chews, No, were all stuck
here to trudge through our own shit.
He still wouldnt look at me but I saw just enough to realize it was Thomas.
How did Yarrock set Joseph free? I asked, not sure if Id ever get an answer.
Joseph. All black, specks on his back legs?
I replied, Yeah, I heard you and him were being weighed at the cage when Jovi set him
free.
Thomas then looked into my eyes for the first time, Were both sick. He didnt weigh
enough so they shot him.